Mindfulness as a means of reducing aggressive behavior: dispositional and situational evidence

TLDR

Mindfulness, defined as enhanced present‑moment attention, has been linked to reduced ego‑involvement and hostility, and researchers are exploring mechanisms by which it may lower aggressive behavior. The authors conducted two studies to examine whether mindfulness can mitigate aggression. Study 1 found that higher dispositional mindfulness was associated with lower self‑reported aggressiveness and hostile attribution bias, while Study 2 showed that pre‑feedback mindfulness reduced aggressive responses to social rejection. © 2008 Wiley‑Liss, Inc., 34:486–496.

Abstract

Abstract Recent research and theory suggest that mindfulness, or enhanced attention and awareness in the present moment [Brown and Ryan, 2003 ], may be linked to lower levels of ego‐involvement and, as a result, may have implications for lowering hostility and aggressive behavior. Accordingly, we conducted two studies to examine the potential aggression‐mitigating role of mindfulness. In Study 1, we found that dispositional mindfulness correlated negatively with self‐reported aggressiveness and hostile attribution bias. In Study 2, participants made mindful before receiving social rejection feedback displayed less‐aggressive behavior than did rejected participants not made mindful. Discussion centers on potential mechanisms by which mindfulness operates to reduce aggressive behavior. Aggr. Behav. 34:486–496, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.